By Bashir Mohammed
Kano
Kano state Women Leadership Platform, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on the Kano state government to create an enabling environment where women “can have the opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development of the state in spheres of governance.”
Speaking at a press conference in Kano yesterday, the organisation’s spokesperson, Hajiya Salma Yusuf, said improving women leadership and political participation in government had become necessary as it would help in strengthening governance and democracy in the country.
Yusuf said such participation was a basic way in ensuring that everyone from every aspect of life has equal opportunity to take part in decision-making and leadership position, stressing that the use of affirmative action “is one important message used to increase women participation in decision-making.”
She said women should have a proportion or allocation of meaningful positions in various political parties to enable them to have equal opportunities to compete and participate in governance, affirming that affirmative action was known as a positive form of discrimination aimed at helping a disadvantaged group.
The spokesperson said the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration had started paving ways for women by appointing them into key positions such of that of Accountant-General and the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, adding that women participation and appointments would be a major catalyst in supporting the good cause.